Searching for Sustainability in Teacher Education and Educational Research: Experiences from the Baltic and Black Sea Circle Consortium for educational research

Abstract

Abstract The Baltic and Black Sea Circle Consortium for educational research (BBCC) was established at the beginning of the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005). BBCC has obtained its name in the Third International Conference Sustainable Development, Culture, Education in the University of Vechta (Germany, 2005). The paper will give insights into preconditions of the establishment of the international network in: (1) the stage before the Decade (2000–2004) when the UNESCO/UNITWIN Chair from Toronto and team from Daugavpils University from Latvia were started to prepare participatory action research for the reorientation teacher education towards the aim of sustainable development and (2) the stage of the Decade (2005–2014) when the network and its development continued as an open network for participation. The structure of the network provides the international environment for cooperation and welcomes new participants. The initiative of the network’s foundation was offered by the UNESCO/UNITWIN Chair in Toronto. For the coordination the BBCC actions and self-development the Institute of Sustainable Education (2003) was established in Daugavpils University (DU) and later UNESCO/UNITWIN Chair on Interplay of Tradition and Innovation in ESD were emerged at Daugavpils University (2013). Action research experience was viewed in current article as a complex development process and at the same time as a complex system in which attention on the adaptation and evolution of cooperative relations will be emphasis. Metaphors approach and characterisation of frames of references for reorientation education towards sustainability will be examine in order to find the answers that allow realising reorienting of teacher education towards sustainable development. The analysis will be based on the topics which were discussed in annual BBCC conference Sustainable Development. Culture. Education sections. Conclusions will offer main assumptions from the most significant BBCC network lived experiences in teacher education which is the real heritage from ANO Decade and in future it will serve as the frame of reference for realization of UNESCO/UNITWIN Chair in DU and BBCC actions in education and educational research for sustainable development in action.